Renowned artist Meg Saligman has been commissioned to paint one of the largest murals in the country on M.L. King Boulevard in Chattanooga, TN. As the artists attempt to reflect the rich and complex racial history of the neighborhood,they encounter a community at the crossroads of change, and one that is reflective of America’s yet unfulfilled dream of equality for all.

This story explores the intersection of public art and redevelopment from the perspectives of local residents and non-local artists who join together to ask: “What do we want to preserve in our collective memories?”

...The naming of streets for King provides a glimpse into where the country is in terms of race relations. Although named streets commemorate the civil rights movement as a completed part of the country’s past, they speak, perhaps more importantly, to the still unfinished nature of King’s dream of racial equality and social justice.